Isometric has released a draft protocol for Savanna Fire Management (SFM), open for public consultation until August 31, 2026. The protocol outlines a framework of requirements and procedures for projects that shift savanna burning from late to early dry season, a practice designed to reduce methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions while simultaneously supporting the resilience of savanna ecosystems.
The release marks another significant development in the evolution of savanna fire management methodologies. Isometric's news follows closely behind Verra's public consultation for its proposed Savanna Fire Management methodology, held between February 18 and March 20, 2026. These initiatives highlight a growing interest in leveraging improved fire management as a tool for nature-based climate action.
How Savanna Fires Influence Climate Change
From a climate perspective, savannas play a critical role in the global carbon cycle. According to Isometric's SFM Protocol, savannas account for approximately 30% of terrestrial net primary productivity and around 70% of fires worldwide each year, which release roughly 749 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) into the atmosphere annually.
However, controlled fires are an essential component of savanna ecosystems. Managed fire can reduce invasive woody shrubs and trees, encourage fresh growth, and return nutrients to the soil. Fires also support local wildlife by encouraging foraging and predation, and creating habitat mosaics to support species diversity.
Most savanna fire emissions occur during the late dry season, when high temperatures, dried biomass, and strong winds produce intense, fast-spreading fires that burn larger areas. SFM mitigates this by moving planned burns to earlier in the dry season, when the landscape retains moisture from the rainy season and temperatures are lower. This results in the fires burning cooler, patchier, and less destructively.
Early dry season burning in Australia’s northern savannas is recognized as traditional burning practice used by First Nations peoples. These practices were shared to inform the strategic fire management methodologies for the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU) Scheme. The use of SFM across northern Australia’s savannas turned them from emitters of 19 million tonnes of CO2e per year to a net sink of 3.5 million tonnes, according to Isometric.
What the Protocol Means for Carbon Markets
Isometric’s new SFM protocol currently includes validated parameter sets for northern Australian savannas and southern African miombo woodlands, with additional regions expected to become eligible as scientific data becomes available. By extending eligibility beyond Australia to include other validated savanna ecosystems, the protocol could expand opportunities for high-integrity nature-based climate projects while enabling access to carbon finance for local land managers and communities.
SFM projects can generate two types of carbon certificates under Isometric’s protocol:
- Reductions of methane and nitrous oxide emissions from fires into the atmosphere, which can continue generating reduction certificates for as long as the SFM practices remain in place.
- Removals of carbon dioxide as trees and woody shrubs capture and store carbon as they grow, which is monitored over time for eligibility.
The SFM protocol introduces several quality controls aimed at improving market confidence, including dynamic and conservative baselines, quantified leakage requirements, independent verification, and buffer pool contributions to address reversals of credited removals and risk of project underperformance.
Projects must also comply with Isometric's safety requirements, respect Indigenous and traditional fire knowledge, and obtain Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) where Indigenous Peoples or customary land users may be affected. In addition, projects are required to disclose benefit-sharing arrangements with Indigenous Peoples and local communities and demonstrate how project activities build on existing fire management institutions and practices rather than replacing them.
ClearBlue Markets will continue to monitor and report on developments. Contact us for a conversation about our voluntary markets and project development expertise and the services we offer.